New Job ED PCT

[DogWmn]

Hi everyone, last year I got my CNA and have had difficulty getting work due to my age ~ very active fit 66 year old!

I was an LPN from '72-'92 burnt out and left nursing my license is not active in this state and due to financial and time constraints it's just not feasible to go thru the process of getting it back.

So My CNA instructor called me out of the blue and asked me to apply to the very small rural hospital for an ED Tech position ~ she works part time there ~ I was needless to say honored and mega flattered she picked me out of all the CNA's she's taught over the years. I got the job!!! It will be part time ~ every Saturday from 9a-9p. This ED is not a trauma center, they stabilize and ship out, it's more like an urgent care center most of the time.

My question to all of you ~ what things should I be brushing up on??? In the interview I was told I will remove sutures, foley's, and a wealth of other things ~ the DON was an LPN first and is not much young than me, they both realize I'm a bit rusty but feel I will be able to do more than most because of my experience.

Since 2008 I've worked as a Patient Sitter/PCT working with 1013's and dementia, got laid off 3 weeks before I turned 65 so I took the CNA course, since then I've only been able to get part time work through our regional Senior community council on aging ~ I did a stint at an adult day care center and now work part time at an out patient mental health facility doing medical records work. I'm very computer literate and have utilized a variety of Electronic Medical Records programs.

So tell me what you as nurses want and expect from your Techs! Thanks

[JKL33]

Congrats! Your experience is going to help you so much. It's hard to say what exactly your duties might involve because different places have different policies for what UAPs can do - it's usually quite a lot theses days: perform phlebotomy and 12-lead ECGs in addition to usual things like urinary catheterizations, fingersticks, misc. specimen collections, transporting, toileting/personal care (tons), ambulating, cleaning rooms, getting V/S, stocking the department, rooming patients, answering call lights, helping to monitor I/Os, assist @ codes/do compressions, various pieces of computer documentation, sitting/monitoring 1:1...

My hunch is that you won't be given duties above and beyond what others in the tech role are doing, but you certainly have education and experience that will allow you to do those duties very well. You can "show 'em how it's done", meanwhile they will show you a lot too.

Best to you -